A Source of Comfort
by Shipperony10
Summary: No Pepperony in Age of Ultron means we the fans have a responsibility to our ship. These are a few Pepperony scenes I have put together for our enjoyment and sanity. T just to be safe, could go M in later scenes.
1. When With These Visions

A Source of Comfort

Disclaimer: Not mine. Obviously. Just borrowing them.

Notes: Watched Avengers:AOU last night, and it left me wanting Pepperony scenes! So I read a few stories to get a fix, and now I have decided to write a few of my own. Be aware that there might be spoilers so if you wish not to be spoiled…do not read just yet. Mistakes are all mine. And since I have only seen the movie once so far, some of the dialogue taken from the movie might be slightly different.

So without further ado…here are a few Avengers:AOU Pepperony scenes!

* * *

 **When With These Visions**

The quinjet zoomed over the Atlantic, now six hundred miles away from Manhattan. Every Avenger sat around anxiously anticipating their chance to unwind.

Tony however, piloted the jet with his mind and heart in a jumbled mess. Those visions he had experienced in Russia still floated around in his head. No matter how much he tried to focus on the sunlit passing clouds and water below them, he could not escape the darkness that hovered over him.

A strong sense of disappointment filled his body. It took him months to move past the trauma and events of the Battle of New York. He spent numerous hours talking through his experience, his visions, his fears. And though it took longer than he would care to admit, he finally reached a point where the words _wormhole_ , _aliens_ , and _New York_ would not trigger panic attacks. He could finally sleep restfully next to Pepper.

But now, after those horrid visions of death and failure, he was afraid he had fallen back into his old patterns of good old traumatic stress.

How could that happen? How could those images, that felt so real, materialize out of thin air months later? Was it a relapse? Could something have triggered it?

These were the questions he fought to answer as he drowned out random conversations from his team.

"We know Tony's got that covered." Natasha smiled as she made sure Barton was comfortable. "Right, Stark?" She asked, but Tony did not respond.

"Sorry what?" He shook his head and blinked quickly to himself in order to force himself back from where his mind just was.

"Wow. You must be planning one hell of a party in that head of yours." She teased.

"Uh, yeah, you know me. It's always go big or go home." He tried to feign interest in the discussion, and was satisfied when the team shared small chuckles.

When everyone returned to conversing among themselves, Tony reemerged himself in his thoughts. Quickly yearning for a drink of strong liquor, something he had not desired in a long while. But he knew it was the way he used to function before his life changed…before Pepper became his solace. He wished she was not miles away in China on business right then, because then he could drown himself in her voice, instead of a glass of scotch.

After the jet touched down on the landing pad, and the Avengers dispersed to their quarters, Tony headed straight for his bar to serve himself a generous amount of scotch. He tossed it back without a second thought and sighed at the familiar burning. An odd relief for the other sense of burning he felt in his head.

He contemplated having one more drink, but decided against it before he walked towards the huge shower he had built Pepper during the remodel. A shower would hopefully help wash away the tension he felt throughout his entire body.

Tony was the kind of man who hardly stood around in the shower waiting for the water to turn cold. He saw no point in soaking until the fingertips shriveled up like raisins. Not unless Pepper was there with him. Which was not rare after missions. She often insisted on a hot shower or bath to help ease him out of Avenger mode.

And though she was not there with him, he spent hours under the water trying to recover. He washed away as much of the day as he could with scalding hot water. He pressed his palm against the wall in front of him for support, and tried desperately to listen to the sound of the water instead of Steve's accusatory voice. The same one he had heard in his vision. _'You could have saved us'_. And when the waterfall finally lost heat, he decided to step out to get dressed.

"Sir you have an incoming call from Ms. Potts." Jarvis alerted him as he threw on a t-shirt.

For a second he thought about telling Jarvis that he would call her back, but he knew he was in desperate need of her voice. "Put her up on the screen, J." He commanded as he walked over to one of the large bedroom smart screens.

"Hey you." He smiled at the sight of her sleepy appearance. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I just woke up." She yawned. "I have an early start today. Meeting with the investors right before I go in to the office." She smiled.

Tony nodded. "Have I ever told you I love your early morning yawns?" He teased.

"Yeah there no less appealing than your late night snores." She teased back.

"Ouch. Nice comeback." He gave her a thumbs up.

Pepper shared a small laugh with him as she tucked some of her loose red strands behind her ears. "So how was the mission?"

"This is when you ask me something you already know the answer to right?" He grinned as she rolled her eyes.

"Well the first thing I woke up to was an update from Jarvis."

"Traitor." He looked up at the ceiling as if he could see Jarvis' face looking down at him. "So you know how it went down." Tony stated with his best cocky smile.

Pepper nodded. "Clint. The scepter. Got it. But what I'm more interested in hearing about is how you are doing after all of it."

"Well you know I took it like a champ. Did my job. I work hard to play hard. Have a celebration planned for tonight. It was a good victory." He tried his best to sound like himself.

"Right." She shook her head. "Jarvis mentioned something about a spike in your heart rate and blood pressure."

"That happens when you're trying not to get yourself killed you know."

"Yes. Or when someone is in distress." She shot back with a small smile as Tony stared at his feet

A few moments of silence transpired between them before Tony looked up to her on the screen.

"No distress. All good." He lied.

"You're a terrible liar Anthony Stark." She waited for him to continue on his own, but he did not. "Care to talk about it? Was it New York?"

"Pep…" He was on his way to formulating a rebuttal, but she interrupted him.

"Tony I can tell something is bothering you."

He exhaled a heavy sigh before he sat on the edge of their bed.

"I saw something." He gave in and accepted her offer to listen.

"Like before?"

"Not really. Similar. I'm not sure. I don't even know what I saw. But what I do know is that it was all my fault." He looked dejectedly up at her.

"Was it related to the wormhole?" She asked with trepidation in her voice.

"I don't think so." He scratched his head. "I saw a lot of death. And I had the strong sense that I was responsible for it all."

She looked sadly at him. "You have a way of carrying the world on your back, Tony. Let your team in, they can help you."

"It's not that easy. I feel like I have to be the one to save us. If not for them, then for you. For us." He smiled almost shyly.

"I wish I was there with you." She smiled as she looked down at her keyboard.

"Me too, baby. Me too." He nodded through red eyes. "I miss you."

Pepper looked up and stared at her screen lovingly. "I'll be home soon."

Tony stood up and made his way closer to the smart glass. "Listen Pep…I don't think you should come home right away." He hated the taste of the words as they left his lips, but he was no fool. If Pepper came anywhere near the team right now, he was sure he would lose himself. Concentrating on any mission would become nearly impossible as he would worry more about her safety and whereabouts than anything else. His heart ached for her, but he needed to finish the mission with the scepter as soon as possible in order to continue on with his life. And as he looked up at her, seeing her blue eyes looking back at him, he knew he could not live a life where Pepper did not exist. So if her safety was priority number one, distance would have to be the answer.

"Why? I thought you were finished with the latest mission." She asked.

He nodded and bit his lip in thought. "Mostly. But until we return the scepter to Asgard, there's no telling who might come knocking on our door for it."

They watched each other silently praying that nothing of the sort would happen. While this was the first mission in a few months, they had a tendency of dragging on each time. Keeping them away from each of their lives. Both of them hoped that would not be the case again.

"If that's what you think is best, I will stay out here, Tony."

Tony nodded. "There's nothing more I want than to be with you, but not at the expense of putting your life in danger. This isn't some government mission or super soldiers we are dealing with. This is Gods, monsters, and alternate universes. It's bigger and stronger than me."

Pepper smiled proudly at the man before her. "I have faith that your heart is stronger than any of those combined."

"Careful now, stroking my ego might make me change my mind about this." He grinned.

An alert tone sounded between them and Pepper smiled sadly at him. "That's Happy asking about the pick-up time. I have to go get ready."

"Alright." He responded disappointingly. "Go get 'em boss." He teased.

"Of course. Tony…"

"Yup?"

"Please be careful. I love you."

"I love you, Pep. I'll have Jarvis send for you when I know we're all clear."

"Bye, Tony."

"See you."

Anthony Stark cursed the emptiness he felt as he watched the screen turn black. But he knew this was the best thing they could do. As long as he could hear her voice and see her face, she could be his source of comfort no matter the distance.

 **So this is where I share my opinionon the movie. While I loved it and thought it was great, I was very disappointed that we got no phone call between Pepper and Tony. You establish a relationship like theirs throughout the course of four movies, you would think at least one scene would be dedicated to that relationship. A simple phone call where no Pepper actually needs to be seen would have been great. It's only natural that Tony would rely on his better half to make it through some trying times. Anyway, I ramble, and it sounds like I'm complaining (maybe a small part of me is), but I really did like the movie. I might even go watch it multiple times. :) Happy Avengers everyone! And remember, no Pepperony does not mean the movie is bad, go in with an open mind.**

 **See you guys next chapter.**


	2. When Plans Go Awry

Disclaimer: Not mine. Obviously. Just borrowing them.

Notes: Thank you so much for your interest in this story guys! Enjoy! All mistakes are mine. I apologize in advance for any typos or grammatical errors.

* * *

 **When Plans Go Awry**

Had everything worked out as he imagined it would, he could be halfway to Pepper.

Or better yet, they could be together, resting comfortably in their newly repaired home in Malibu. They could be listening to the lulling sound of the crashing pacific waves, drinking wine, or scotch, or both.

But things were rarely that simple, and Tony Stark never did anything the conventional way anyway. He ran before he could walk.

Except this time around, his legs were taken out from under him, and he could barely walk let alone run.

To make matters worse, his team had been seriously compromised and picked apart by a pair of teenage kids with a vendetta. And he was pretty sure they all blamed him.

In any case, if they didn't, he blamed himself.

Partly…at least. For failing to make Ultron the change the world needed instead of the monster that they would all come to fear now.

No good deed goes unpunished.

So here he was in the company of an old…friend...feeling like a fucking imbecile, punishing himself not for creating Ultron, but for creating him before he was ready. Before they all were.

How would he tell Pepper? What would she think of his latest botched attempt at world peace?

"Before you go…" Tony stopped Fury in his tracks before he could exit the barn and leave him to drown in his own thoughts.

Surprised and pleasantly so, Tony grinned when Nick extended his arm out to him with a phone in hand. "Call her yourself Stark. It's a secure line, but keep it short. I will be around back waiting for it."

"Kind of bulky for SHIELD gadgets isn't it?" Tony quipped and pressed on when he saw Nick's annoyed reaction. "Oh no never mind that's how you guys operate isn't it…what with that monster of a Helicarrier you made me retrofit."

Nick rolled his eye. "Are you done?"

Joking aside, Tony nodded and walked towards a corner of the barn where he could be alone with her. Figuratively speaking.

His fingers dialed, slowly, the familiar yet rarely dialed number. He never had to dial Pepper. Ever. He always had Jarvis for that. A wave of regret hit him as he waited for her to answer.

"Virginia Potts…" Instantly his lips pulled up into a small smile.

"Hey…" Tony stated casually.

"Tony!" It tore him up inside every time he heard the worry in her voice. They both knew it came with the job, though. He was Iron Man, and she was his worried yet proud girlfriend that waited for him every night while she took care of the business. He did not fight the smile at the memory of that conversation. It felt like so long ago. "Tony I saw the news! Are you alright? I was waiting for your call, I couldn't reach you, my phone, the network, everything is down. Are you OK?"

He took a minute to pull the nearest barrel of what he guessed was generator fuel to the corner with him so he could sit. "Hey Pep. Calm down. I'm alright." Tony sighed. "Um Jarvis is not, though." He began. "I uh…I might have done something…I think I messed up." Finally feeling the gravity of the situation, he allowed his walls to go down so he could grieve the loss of his artificial but ever-trustworthy friend.

"What happened?" Pepper questioned calmly.

"I started all of this mess." He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he shut his eyes tightly. "I thought I could create something that could replace all of us. So we wouldn't have to do this every time. So we could lead normal lives and still have lookouts. All I wanted was to keep everyone safe." Tony paused. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Or this fast-we were so far from anything concrete-and then-"

"Slow down." Pepper soothed him and he wished he could feel her hands smoothing the stress away from his shoulders like she always did. "What are you talking about? And try to give me the simplified technical-jargon-free version, please."

He nodded to himself. "I used the scepter's energy to create Ultron."

"Ultron? But you and Bruce talked about it being years away. In fact, you both felt it might never happen. That it was just something to work towards."

"I know we did. But I saw the opportunity and I took it. Except that it didn't go as planned. I never saw this coming. It all happened way too fast. One minute we're calculating weeks-months of trials, and the next a rogue legion suit is crashing our victory celebration with talk of exterminating us in the name of world peace."

He heard her heavy sigh on the other end and he shook his head. Even she faulted his eagerness to create Ultron. Did no one understand what his goal was?

"Pep I know that you think that was selfish and care-"

"Stop." Pepper interrupted him mid-sentence. After another sigh she proceeded. "I know why you did it. I don't think it was the smartest thing you could have done, but I understand what you envisioned." Tony breathed with relief at her words. He was not sure why he doubted her. She was his only anchor in this world, why would she ever let him float away without a safety line? He chastised himself for his earlier conclusions. "What happened to Jarvis?"

Clearing his throat he looked down to his boots. "Ultron destroyed him."

"How…how did he…it…manage that?" There was that worried tone again.

"From what I pulled up, he just did. Ultron fired everything he had and destroyed Jarvis. No questions asked, he just did it." Anger began to bubble to the surface, and it boiled more when he heard the quiet that surrounded them both. "I know this is bad Pepper, but I will fix this." He promised.

"I know you will, Tony. But without Jarvis you're on your own. And I won't have access to you." He could hear the anxiety in her words. "I could always count on Jarvis to update me on your vitals…your missions. I won't have that anymore. I'm lucky you called me otherwise I would still be sitting here, in the dark, wondering how you are. How did you call me anyway?"

Suddenly remembering he was on borrowed time, he looked around for sign of Fury coming to collect his phone. "Fury let me borrow his ten-pound phone. Very retro." He attempted to lighten the mood some.

"Can you keep it?" Pepper jumped to ask.

"No can do. Old man Deacon will come hunting for it any minute now." He grinned.

Tony could hear his redhead fight the laugh that he earned from his joke. "Thank him for me anyway, please." Ever the polite one. He smiled at that.

"You got it."

A moment of easy silence engulfed them as they simply relished the sounds of each other's breathing.

Pepper was the first to speak, effectively bringing them out of the rhythmic sounds they found comforting. "How's Bruce?"

"You saw that too, huh." He stated rather than asked.

He could see her nod at him. "Gave him a run for his money, if you ask me." Tony knew she said that only to boost his ego.

"Yeah about that…we bought a building down there."

"We did huh. Are you talking about that pile of rubble that used to be a skyscraper?" He could hear her smile.

He cleared his throat. "Um…the very same one." She knew how to provoke his nervousness. Always.

"I thought you had made progress with Bruce. You mentioned Natasha had an effective method to calming him out of code green." Pepper asked after a few more seconds of silence.

"She did…does…still." He tried to make sense of what he attempted to say. "Ultron found allies in a couple of…kids…enhanced kids." Tony paused. "One of them is a blur...literally. The girl…she plays mind tricks. She toyed with us all. Playing on our fears. Who knows what she made Banner see. He won't speak of it."

"Mind tricks? She could be the cause for your visions then?"

"I suspect as much." A small nod escaped him.

"Tony…"

"I know." He interjected. "I'll be careful."

"You better." She added quickly. "I kind of like having you around all of the time. Even if I am babysitting you half the time." Her joke was playful, but in her voice he heard a slight shake. It came up every time they had a discussion such as this one. When they both realized the mission was likely to end with casualties, or serious injuries at the very least. "I can't babysit you from China. And I can't order Jarvis to update me so no pressure, but I'm leaving you in charge of you."

"I can manage." He retorted with a sad smile.

"With the first number." She played along. "What will you do for the other eight?"

"I'll wait for you for the other eight." He stood up from the barrel and walked over to a smudged window that over looked Barton's land.

"That means you can't die." Pepper responded seriously.

Tony nodded. "Then I won't die." He closed his eyes and placed his forehead on the glass. Once again they listened to each other's breathing.

If there was anything Tony hated more than anything it was making Pepper promises he might not be able to keep.

He did anyway just then, more for her than for him. Because if he left her with any doubt at all, Tony knew she would worry endlessly.

Pepper was the strongest woman he knew, but even she had her limit.

He was the cockiest most confident guy he could be, but even he was no fool. Assuming he would escape unscathed was not something he did. Not anymore. Not since New York.

Because he was human.

"Want to wrap it up, Stark? I got places to be." Tony jolted from the intruding sound of Fury's voice. The moment now gone.

"I gotta go Pep. Fury wants his brick back." He sounded somber despite his playful jab at the man. "I'll come get you myself when this all over. I'll see if Fury can call you with reports, but I can't promise anything. Love you."

He wanted to talk to her a while longer but when he saw Nick's exasperated stare he knew it was time. "Love you too." Was the last thing he heard before he pushed on the end call button.

"I'll see what I can do, Stark." Tony nodded gratefully when he realized Nick would not make a lame joke about his tender moment with Pepper. Sometimes the man surprised him.

"Thanks. And um...thanks for the phone. Pepper's words not mine." He finished knowing he could not walk away from him without one last wisecrack. He was grateful, but he was still Tony Stark.

Tony did not look to see if and when Fury walked out of the barn before he made his way to the tractor he had walked in to fix in the first place.

Fixing things was Tony's thing. He had told Pepper as much after the entire Mandarin ordeal. And with a great deal of work he had made everything right with Pepper's situation and with his reactor. Now, he was in a situation where he once again had to fix something. And he would fight to fix it. So he could go get his girl.

 **There you guys have it. Another small Pepperony scene.**

 **See you all soon!**


	3. When Into the Final Battle

Disclaimer: Not mine. Not mine. Not mine.

Notes: I apologize for the delay. Puppy got sick, I got a small promotion at work, have been swamped lately. But here you go! Enjoy this little update! Sorry for any mistakes.

* * *

 **When Into the Final Battle**

So Ultron wanted to end them.

He was damned if he was going to let that happen.

With a determination never before seen on him, Tony marched straight into his quarters and began to prepare himself for battle.

Not too long ago he told Steve they were not soldiers, and he still believed that to be true. But now he knew better than to think that with everything they had help create, with the team they had built, with the resources and skills they all possessed, they could sit idly and let these issues resolve themselves.

They might have been haphazardly thrown together to mix in a pot, but Tony understood why. Because they could fight back for the people who inhabited this world. For those who could not stand up for themselves against all of the monsters they were sure to face.

Much like the people of Sokovia.

Much like his friends.

Much like Pepper.

Pepper.

For a few minutes he toyed with the idea of letting her be and simply ready the suit, but eventually his heart won out the argument it had with his brain.

"Friday send Pepper a message, please." He spoke out loud as he made his way around his workspace tinkering with the essentials.

"Certainly. What would you like for it to read?" His new AI responded.

"Just let her know we are up and running and I will call her from the suit when I get a chance." He saw the team move towards the landing out of the corner of his eye, and nodded to himself.

"Message has been sent, boss."

With one final check of the suit he commanded for it to follow him as he jogged out to join the team.

* * *

Tony knew the peace and quiet would be short-lived, but he secretly hoped it would be another while before he had to suit up and go toe to toe with his creation..

Piece by piece the armor assembled around him and he grinned at the familiar feeling. "Friday you there?" He voiced as he looked through the HUD at his surroundings.

"For you sir, always." The AI replied, and Tony could not help but smile at the memory of Jarvis.

"Great, dial Ms. Potts."

Steadily he climbed altitude before he headed off in the general direction of where the fight was surely taking place.

"Tony?" A smile graced his face as Pepper's voice filled his helmet.

"Hey baby." He was not entirely sure where or how to begin. Truth was, he was nervous, and he knew her voice would help keep him centered and grounded.

"Everything alright, Tony?" The concern in her voice rang loud and clear in his ears.

"Yeah, listen, in case…um…everything will be signed over to you. I just wanted to tell you so you won't be surprised when Happy starts coming to you for a raise." Ever the joker he tried to keep the conversation light-hearted despite its seriousness.

He heard her sigh heavily into her phone. "What are you doing, Tony?" She questioned.

"Currently?" He joked. "I'm flying."

"Cut it out. What's going on." He did not miss the change in her tone.

"Ultron is waiting for us in Sokovia. The team's already on their way. I'm headed over. We're going to finish what I started." Even though he had wanted to make another joke, he refrained from doing so, to let her know how serious he was about all of it.

"And you called to say goodbye?" Her quivering voice pierced his heart like a pair of darts at a board. Much like the one he had been toying with at Barton's place.

"I called because _last time_ I didn't get to say goodbye." He placed special emphasis on those words, but they both knew what he was referring to. He cleared his throat. "But I still have no intention of dying. I have a social security number to memorize remember." He smiled sadly and allowed the silence to be their invisible cable of communion. "I love you, Pepper. When this is all over…when I come get you, I think we should sit down and have a long talk."

"About what?" Pepper sniffled audibly.

Breaking his gaze at the blurring scenery below, he looked up to her contact photo with new hope. "The future."

It was hard to miss the small half chuckle half sniffle that emanated from her end of the exchange. "I'm holding you to that, Tony." She cleared her own throat. "I just have one request."

"Name it, gorgeous." He smiled.

"Please try to curb any urges to carry nukes into outer space."

Tony nodded as if she could see him. "You go it." He had no intention of doing that again. Those last few moments of strangled breathing, as he looked regretfully at her fading call, had been enough torture for an entire lifetime. One he would gladly stay away from, at least until it was unavoidable. Maybe not even then, until he had her blessing, and the chance to listen to her voice one last time.

"You have my word, Pep. No nukes." He shook his head as he received an alert on his heads up display.

"What was that?" Pepper questioned.

"Friday I can take over from here. Turn the autopilot off." He commanded as he looked back up to Pepper's contact photo. "I just picked up Ultron, Pep. He's locked on to my coordinates. I have to go. Don't want to risk him finding you."

"How does he not have control of your suit?" Pepper questioned worriedly.

"Firewall." He grinned. "Took it back to high school. He won't be able to control Friday without exposing his own framework. I could take him out with the press of a key if he chose to go that route."

Silence took over the moment.

"I love you, Tony."

He nodded yet again as if his redhead could see him. "I'll see you soon, Pep."

The same feeling that always drowned him after he ended calls with her took over. A mixture of relief at having heard her voice, and a tug in his heart from accepting the possibility that that could have been the very last time he heard her voice."

Tony shook off the emotions and prepared himself for the landing as he spotted the red-lit outline of his creation.

It was time.

'Social security number...don't die.' Were the last words that swam around in his mind before chaos reared it's ugly face.

 **Hope you all enjoyed this small could-have-been-awesome-scene-had-Marvel-and-Joss-used-their-brains! No disrespect to them of course, but we all know they're idiots by now. Love ya, Joss. ;-) Anyway, will Pepper and Tony be reunited? I guess we will find out soon!**


	4. When In Your Presence

Disclaimer: I hate wasting words on telling you that I don't own them. I think by now we all know you and I do not own them. Anyway, they are not mine. I just borrow them to fulfill our fantasies.

AN: MATURE CONTENT BELOW. You have been warned. This chapter is intended for grown-ups only. If you are not of age, turn back and enjoy the previous chapters only.

* * *

 **When In Your Presence**

He elected not to call Pepper while he made his way to China. She would likely ask a million questions, and worry about him in spite of the fact that he was alright.

Tony was not too sure he was ready for that.

More than anything though, he was anxious to hear her voice in person.

He ached for the next time he heard her speak to be a mere distance from his physical form. While he loved to hear her on their usual calls, and she provided him with much needed comfort, having her near him was the ultimate form of serenity.

Only Pepper.

It still amazed him how she was the only woman who could put out any fire that threatened to consume him, yet ignite a new one altogether. One that only burned for her.

Only Pepper.

He smiled to himself as he touched down on the landing pad of their overseas loft and stepped out of the suit.

The windows were just as grand as theirs back in New York, but the hard angles of the building and the floor plan itself, made it hard for him to spot her and her him.

Quietly he walked towards the glass doors and pulled them open to go in search of his redhead.

"Pepper?" He waited patiently for her response.

It did not take long for the sound of stilettos to echo in the space. "Tony?" Like heaven to his ears.

He did not miss the fact that her voice was laced both with relief and surprise.

Once he spotted her red waves coming around a corner, he smiled wide for her. "Hey baby." He wanted to walk to her, but his body made no attempt to budge. His heart pounded with anticipation. "Wait." He held his hand in gesture to stop her from advancing.

Her confused look elicited a small chuckle from deep in his chest. "What's going on, Tony?" She stopped in her tracks with knitted brows.

"I just wanted a second to look at you." He finally managed to speak after a few moments of silence. "God I missed you." He finally walked towards her and grinned at her soft smile.

"I missed you, too." She smiled as she waited for him where she stood.

He felt the short steps it took to come face to face with her took hours; he could never get close to her fast enough.

Soon his hands were hers. One framed her face, caressing her cheek with his thumb. The other tangled happily in her hair as it brought her lips closer to his.

"Kiss me already." He smiled when he heard how impatient she was.

He wanted to kiss her already, too. But the truth was that this time he wanted to take his time. He had been craving everything about her since the Ultron mess began, and now that he had her in his arms he wanted to savor every moment.

Tony could only guess he wanted to make up for lost time.

"Do I detect a bit of impatient yearning, Ms. Potts?" He teased as he rubbed her nose with his.

"You have five seconds or I'm going back to my office." She teased him right back, and he loved her even more for it.

"You got it." While he enjoyed the banter, he did finally close the remaining distance to kiss her.

Reunion kisses were some of his favorites. They often started off slow and quickly escalated into full-blown wildfires.

Those fires she ignited in him.

His lips caressed her slowly, softly, firmly- no rush. Not yet.

Tony would have kept the pace were it not for her insisting he open up to her. Her tongue traced his bottom lip, eventually gaining access to where he knew she wanted to explore.

Who was he to deny her that?

So he did not.

Slowly his tongue journeyed along with hers as he sought out her mouth with equal fervor.

Yet nothing was sloppy.

Hungry yes.

Passionate definitely.

Not messy.

They both panted through their kiss. Breathing only when it was crucial for survival, and then only in between slight changes of angles and intensity.

"I missed this." He spoke in between pecks.

"The thoughts of this kept me going." She replied as she nipped at his bottom lip.

His heart raced and her bite only served to intensify the burning flames within.

Before either of them knew it, his hands were on her waist, squeezing gently as he did his best to keep their lips locked while he hoisted her up.

Pepper's legs wrapped around him, and somewhere in the distant recesses of his functioning brain he heard her heals drop behind him.

Not once did he break their kiss to see where he was taking them. He knew their destination, and in the event that he could not get them there, he mentally jotted down a backup plan.

He realized they would have to explore that venue at a later date, because soon he was kicking the door to their bedroom open while his hands tangled in her hair and worked slowly on her clothes.

Her hands were not idle. They worked expertly into his black hair, tugging, caressing, teasing, and earning her moans from his mouth.

They stood at the foot of the bed without a care in the world. For the first time in a long time Tony had nothing on his mind except her…them.

It was not until Tony moved his hands back down to her waist that Pepper unwound her legs to plant her feet firmly on the ground. He ever so slowly finished unbuttoning the front of her business jacket. She, for the first time since they began their reunion session, moved her lips away from his mouth and to the pulse point on his neck. A guttural groan escaped Tony's throat, and he could not help but feel more excited at the sensation of her victory smile against his skin.

With some effort to keep his focus on her clothes instead of her mouth on his neck, he finally managed to slide the jacket off her shoulders.

"Pepper…" He groaned when she sucked on the same spot on his neck.

She laughed softly against him and pulled back to look at his flushed face. "Now who's impatient?"

She looked radiant. Her hair slightly a mess. Her lips full and warm. Her smile lovely as ever.

His breath caught in his throat. He loved her.

He shook his head with disbelief. How could he love someone this much? He had never loved anyone so entirely. Not that he doubted what they were, but at that moment, with their eyes searching each other, he knew for a fact that what he had with her he wanted to have forever.

"Marry me." Tony breathed out as he moved his hands up from her hips to frame her face.

All that could be heard was their rapid breathing.

"What?" She tilted her head a bit with confusion. Or doubt of what her ears had heard. He could not be certain.

Tony smiled. "I said…marry me." He repeated and waited patiently for the shock to wear off.

As soon as he saw her eyes water he worried she might say no, but her small smile helped to reassure him. "Do you have a concussion again?" Her slender fingers scanned his head for hidden injuries as a joke.

"I'm serious, Pep." Tony released her face to still her hands. Gracefully he brought them to rest on his chest. "I have never been more sure of anything." He shook his head. "Nobody could ever make me feel this way. I can't imagine what my life would be without you…the mess I would be. Only you could make me want to be this person I have become." He grinned at her while his lips came in contact with her knuckles. Her eyes brimmed with her unshed tears.

Pepper smiled back at him. "What brought this on?" She finally managed.

"That's not important right now." He shrugged. "I can explain later, just say yes."

Her nod came before she could give him words.

"Yes." She smiled again. This time the fight to hold back the tears was too much, and he soon witnessed small tracks of tears marking paths down her cheeks.

"Done deal." He flashed her his famous grin before pulling her in for a deep kiss. "I love you."

"I love you." She replied against his lips. "So can the next lease say Potts?" She smiled as he kissed her neck.

"We'll talk." He finalized as he pushed her back gently onto the bed behind her. Details would have to wait. His only mission now was to show her how much he loved her, and why they were perfect for each other.

Slowly they divested each other, never truly breaking contact with either their lips or their eyes.

Eventually Pepper took over as she straddled Tony. His fingers toyed with the curves of her hips.

Her fingertips danced on his skin, starting with his jaw, slowly…oh so torturously slowly down his chest. And though she left trails of burning passion, his mind and his body were at peace.

He inhaled deeply when she slid back along his member to allow her hands the journey they desired. Her own desire evident on his newly exposed and sensitive skin.

It was hard to fight the groan that escaped him so he opened his mouth to free it as his eyes closed. "Pep…" He warned.

"Shhh." Was all he heard as she teased him, never really touching him where he needed her to. Slowly she caressed her way down the trail of hair below his bellybutton, stopping only for a fraction of a second near his manhood.

Her lips quickly kissed his toned stomach, following where her fingers led. He could feel her smiles whenever his body twitched from the contact. Though he would never openly admit it to anyone, Pepper was aware of certain…weak spots. Places where any sort of attention would render him a useless puddle of skin and tissue.

Not that he was ticklish, but yes, he might be.

Only Pepper was privy to such delicate information.

And he loved that she used it to her advantage.

Tony could not remember where his hands landed after they fell from her hips, but as soon as he felt the satin of her palm on his skin, pain registered in his brain from how tightly he clutched the sheets beneath him.

"Pep…later." He gasped as he felt her rhythm quicken. He knew her hands could work him expertly, driving him over the edge in pure bliss, but this time he wanted nothing more than for them go over together. "I just want you right now." He managed to mouth through closed lids and tight lips.

Her grin was not missed by him when she kissed the tip of his length. She had no idea how close she was to making him change his mind.

"You drive me crazy, Ms. Potts." He groaned as he lifted his body enough to reach for her. It did not take much effort to pull her up with him, tangling his legs with hers before spinning them around to trap her body beneath him. He kissed her soundly.

"The feeling is mutual, Mr. Stark." Pepper laughed as he used a free hand to tickle her side.

"Good." He responded before kissing their…yes their…favorite spot on her neck. He wanted to adorn her body with every ounce of passion and tender love he possessed. So began to paint her body with butterfly kisses. Smiling every so often as he witnessed the goosebumps that erected on her porcelain skin time and time again.

"Tony…" Pepper moaned as he kissed near her center. "Please…"

He knew she was as anxious as he was to feel each other so he decided not to proceed with the teasing game.

Carefully he kissed his way up her stomach, only stopping briefly to dip his tongue in her bellybutton and nipping softly on her collarbone. He positioned himself in between her legs and kissed her nose in the most tender way possible. Neither body moved as he poised himself at her entrance. Their eyes locked. Her small fingers traced his jaw on either side of his face when he made to attempt to connect them. "Tony…" She lifted her head enough to kiss his chin. "I love you." She kissed his chin once again and his heart swelled. "I love you." She repeated.

He finally nodded. Not sure why he had suddenly stopped everything, he sighed. Sometimes he could get lost in her eyes. The peace inside those blue pools made him forget even himself. Finally in one smooth motion he entered her.

Gasps escaped them both as they engraved how they felt. Every time it was more than words could describe, and more than either could handle alone, so they held on tight together.

Almost immediately, Pepper wrapped her right leg over his hip, pulling him deeper as a result. He in turn held onto it with his left hand…almost like a lifeline as he gripped it tightly enough to steady him, but not enough to hurt her. Together they continued to meet with each thrust, echoing sighs and moans as they increased the friction.

"I don't know how you do it." Tony spoke in short one word gasps. "How you stick around." He kissed her neck and licked gently on her pulse point, tasting the saltiness of her sweat and not minding one bit. "To love me." He never faltered with their pace as he spoke. "To fix me…" He stopped mid-sentence as a sudden wave of pleasure tightened his lower body. "After everything." He sighed on her neck before moving to bite her shoulder.

Pepper scratched up his back lightly before weaving her hands in his matted hair. A shiver shot through him as he felt her lips on his ear. "You don't need fixing, Tony." She kissed his earlobe before moving to his temple when her hands angled his head for her. Her hips still in sync with the dance their bodies yearned for. "But I do it because it's you." She smiled onto his cheek. "Because there is nobody else I would rather do that for." She ended the conversation by kissing him deeply, taking advantage of his gasps for air by moving her tongue to battle with his.

Tony moaned into her mouth before moving to kiss her forehead. Using both palms of his hands now on either side of her, he braced his weight with his knees in order to move deeper and faster into her.

Pepper moaned at the sensation, and he nearly lost consciousness when he felt her inner walls pull him towards her.

Together they moved. Together they gasped. Together they moaned.

Eventually…together they called out their names as they fell over the edge.

Pepper brought Tony's face close to hers again and kissed him before spiking his sweaty hair off of his forehead. "Wow." He breathed before slipping out of her and falling on his back. Carefully and skillfully bringing her with him to lay in the warmth of his arms. Their bodies still glistening with a thin sheen of sweat. "Are you sure you're game for that for another sixty years or so?" He teased, which earned him a playful slap on his chest.

"Kind of assuming _you_ can keep _that_ up for that long aren't you?" She jested back.

"Ouch." He chuckled as he kissed her forehead. "You sure know how to wound me."

"Yeah well, years of practice have helped. Someone had to keep you grounded among all of those celebrities and models." She traced patters on his chest.

"Well I'm glad it was you."

The dimming light of the day dropped shadows around them in their post-coital silence. Their breathing almost back to normal.

Tony opened his heavy-lidded eyes when he remembered something. "Hey…" he began.

"Hmmm?" Pepper replied through her own blissful tiredness.

"I think I want to retire from…avenging." He smirked at the lack of more fitting words.

"What?" She lifted herself carefully on one elbow, staring seriously up at him.

"There's others now. Younger kids." He shrugged. "They can take it from here. They have Steve…he can lead them like nobody else can."

"And you would just…walk away?" She questioned with knitted brows. "That doesn't sound like you."

"Well…" He looked down to her and touched her cheek softly with his fingertips. "I can be a consultant…from afar." He smiled. "From our farm."

"Our what?" She laughed. "Did you say…farm?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "You know a farm. Where we can raise kids. Have some animals. And still have room to build a workshop for me. A farm." He nodded with finality.

"Why would we need a farm? And…kids….wow. We haven't even started to plan the wedding." She laughed. "Tony what the hell is going on in that brain of yours?"

He sighed. "It's a long story." He shook his head. "Let's just say I caught a glimpse of what our life could be like if we lived like normal people. A few kids. Outside of the city…on a farm."

"I know there's a story there." She smiled at him.

Tony nodded. "We'll talk about it later." He brought her knuckles to his lips and smiled against her skin. "I promise."

"I can't wait." She looked at his lips on her hand. "Now about that Social Security number…"

He flashed her a wide smile. "5." He responded.

"Oh boy." She laughed. "We have a long way to go with you."

"Luckily we have all of our lives to get it right." He grinned before he pulled her onto him, kissing her with a renewed hunger.

Nothing else on his mind except for her as their lips moved together.

Complete serenity.

Because she was his only source of comfort.

 **THE END**

 **I hope you all enjoyed reading! I had a lot of fun with this one! We don't need Whedon to satisfy our Pepperony hearts…we are all we need! Thanks for reading!**


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